Wig construction



Aug. 13, 1946.

H. J. LAMOUREUX fifl li WIG CONSTRUCTION Filed May 15, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. I MLAIREJZAMOUREl/X BY in AT .T 0312271 3, 394. H. J. LAMOUREUX 2,4,1

Filed May 15, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 13, 1946 OFFICE WIG CONSTRUCTION Hilaire J. Lamoureux, New York, N. Y. Application May 15, 1945, Serial No. 593,889

Claims.

This invention relates to a wig construction, particularly for models or dolls such as may be used as hairdressers models, although the features of the invention are not restricted to this particular use.

More particularly the present invention relates to a method of construction of such wigs and to the wigs and doll or model head assemblies as thus constructed.

It has been found that many, if not all, the methods hereto-fore generally used for the construction of hairdressers models by which there may be demonstrated various hair stylings has been such that when a model is prepared in a particular manner, it cannot readily be changed by the hairdressers themselves, but must be returned to the factory by which it is made in order that the hair styling be changed or for other reasons wherein it is desired to do various things to the hair of the model which could readily be done to the hair of a living person, but which, by reason of the artificial construction of the models cannot readily be done to the aforesaid models. This is a substantial hardship in many instances as it is often desired not only to keep the model properly clean by normal washing methods, including shampooing of the hair, but also it is highly desirable from time to time to make changes in the hair styling to show customers new styles as they are created. I

An important object of the present invention is to provide a wig construction for models or dolls and particularly for those used as hairdressers models, wherein the hair can be treated in any manner that the hair growing on the head of a living person may be treated, that is, by washing, combing, bleaching and dyeing, waving or curling, and permanently waving.

A further and more detailed object of the present invention is to provide a method of constructing wigs for models or dolls of the character set forth, wherein the hair will flow from various portions of the head in the several directions that it would flow on the head of a living person, so that various hair stylings may simulate closely those which could be applied using living persons.

I A further object of the invention isto provide a. detailed method of constructing a wig for modprovide for the applying of hair to a backing materlal as aforesaid, and then to provide for the cutting up of the backing material with hair applied thereto into small pieces, which may be separately fitted on to the head of a doll as aforesaid so that the stiff characteristics of the back-' ing materialwill not interfere with the substan-. I

tial conforming of the individual pieces to the curvatures of the model they are applied.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a wig. construction as aforesaid, wherein selected difierent portions of the hair on different parts of the head maybe of a difierent character, for example, a difierent color, texture or length.

Other and more detailed objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following specification and appended claims when taken in connection drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of a portion of backing material held in a frame during the application of hair thereto;

Fig. 2 is a view substantially in vertical section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the backing material of Figs. 1 and 2 showing the els or dolls as hereinabove set forth, including the several steps necessary to apply and secure the hair. to a, backing material,-so that it will appear to grow therein at an angle to the surface thereof in the manner in which hair normally grows on a human scalp.

A further detailed object of the invention is'to manner of securing the hair therein, the showing being inverted in respect to that of Fig. 2 and illustrating the step of securing the hair of the backing material.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevation of amodel or doll head showing the manner of applying to the head of individual pieces of backing material having hair secured thereto; and

Fig. 5 is a view of the same head completely provided with the wig of this invention, but prior to the application of any hair styling thereto.

Turning now to the accompanying drawings, there is illustrated in Fig. 1, a suitable frame I by which a relatively stifi, mesh-like backing fabric 2 may be held, suitable clamps 3 holding the fabric in the frame. While the fabric 2 is shown as a straight woven fabric, that is with warp and weft threads as shown, woven soloosely as to provide a plurality of rows of apertures 4, each substantially square in shape, it is contemplated that any mesh-like fabric, preferably relatively stiff in nature, may be employed, such as fabric made by knitting or other methods. The particular type of fabric is further substantially immaterial from the point of view of this invention so long as it hasthe necessary physical characteristics of inherent stiffness and rigidity or doll head to which with the accompanying 7 as hereinabove I while with the other hand, the tool is manipu lated. In this way there will be provided a plu rality of hairs as shown at 6, Fig. 2, extending through each aperture of a row, suchas the row 5, which is shown provided with hairextending through about half the apertures; T

The next step in making the wig is to turn the frame over until the hairs extending through the fabric all extend upwardly as shown in Fig. 3,.1at which time the hairs extending. through azsingle row. may be cut off as at a level shown at "I by scissors, this cutting off being above but adjacent to the fabric as shown on an enlarged scale in Fig. 3 and the hair extending perhaps e of an inch through the fabric. A waterproof cement is then applied on to the cut ends of the hairs as shown at 8, so as to flow around each of the hairs and into the row of apertures through which the hairs pass, and to seal the hair into the fabric. It isnoted at this time and during the drying of this cement all the hair is held at an acute angle shown at 9 (Fig. 3) and-also shown in Fig. 2 to the plane of the fabric, so as to flow. in a predetermined direction in respect to the fabric for the purposes which will appear hereinafter.

Once the cement B. has at least partially dried, hairimay' be similarly applied to another row of apertures and so on until a selected area of the fabric has been provided withihair. While it is possible that each row of apertures may be supplied with hair as hereinabove set forth, I have found it to be desirable in the usual case, to use alternate rowsonly, so that rows as shown at H] and H in addition to the row 5 (Fig. 1) will be supplied with hair as indicated inthat figure. This is also. illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. If necessary or desired, after the cement 8 has substantially full dried, any excessively protruding ends onthe reverse side of the fabric (as shown on Fig. 3) may be further cut off closely adjacent to the fabric,.but not so close but that the hair is securely fastened in the backing fabric 2.

The next step involves the making of the wig itself. If it were attempted to place-a large size portion of the fabric provided with hair as aforesaid onto the head of the model or doll or other surfaces having curvatures in two directions at right angles to each other, the initially relatively stiff backing fabric, which has been further stiffened by the application thereto of the cement as aforesaid, would not properly conform to the surface to which it was applied.

However, I have found that this difliculty may be overcome by cutting the fabric into relatively small pieces l2 and then fitting such pieces individually onto the head of the model ordoll to which the wig is to be applied. This also has a furtheri desirable feature that it is possible by suitably'choosing the size, number and arrangement of the pieces to have the wig so constructed that. the hair thereon will flow in the proper directions in respect to the scalp or head of the model or. doll so as to simulate'the manner in (ill 1 securely held to 1 thereof which hair grows on a human head, which in the usual case is generally radially outward from a point at the center rear portion of the head.

In some instances it may be desirable to provide further means for insuring the adherence of the cement to the head model. Such means are particularly advantageous when the head is of material to which the cement may not otherwise closely adhere. For this purpose a plurality of small holes l4 may be formed in the scalp portion at suitably spaced intervals, so that there will preferably be several holes for an area to be covered by one of the pieces l2. Then when the pieces are cemented to the head model as aforesaid, some of the cement may penetrate into or through the holes l4 and be U the head model either by frictionalior adhesive engagement with the sides of the holes or by mushrooming out as shown at I5 into the usually hollow interior portion of the head and, 'upon haldening,, forming a sort of rivfet, securing, the cement to the head. For this purpose a sufficient amount of cement is is used, so that some of it will penetrate at least into, and preferably through, such holes into'the inside. r

The making of the wig by a plurality of small pieces further enables the production of particular effects, which may in some cases be especially desired from an artistic point of view. Thus by providing pieces having hair of dinerent characters in different portions of the head, such as difierent color, different hair type or texture, and/or different lengths, it is possible to secure many desired artistic effects. For ex ample, it may be desired in order to illustrate the potentialities of the establishment displaying a model or head as herein set forth, .to illustrate their capacity in hair dying by having hair of two, or more different colors on different portions. of the same head.

In order that there be .a substantially uninterrupted surface at and adjacent to the hair line of the scalp and for mechanical reasons in 1 the construction of wigs for models .or dolls as hereinabove set forth, it is desired that the doll headbe undercut, at and adjacent to the scalp line as illustrated particularly at l3 in Fig.1. This undercutting is preferably to a depth substantially equal to the thickness of the backing pieces including the cement used in securing hair thereto and as made up by the method hereinabove set forth. Thus when these pieces are secured, preferably adhesively and individuallylto the scalp as. generally indicated for the pieces I2 in Fig. 3, there will be a smooth uninterrupted surface across the scalp line and adjacent portions of the model or doll head. While it is possible to make model or doll heads initially'with this undercut construction as just i set forth, it is. also contemplatedthat model or doll heads of a vitreous or .ceramic. nature. may be first prepared by cutting away that portion of the head to be covered by'hair to-a depth approximately equal to the backing portion of the wig. This may be done by carefully chiseling *this part of .the model or doll head away, thus providing a relatively porous, roughenedsurface to which the backing portions of the. pieces l2 may be individually adhesivelyzse cured by the use. of a water-proof cement, the

cement adhering better to the roughened and somewhat porous surfaces or the model 1 or doll smooth vitrified surface.

head than to the type of cement which will "'It' is contemplated that the same or some dif-' ferent type of cement may be used for securing the pieces I 2 to the model or doll head from that used'for the cementing of the hair to the backing material 2 as hereinabove set forth at the election of manufacturer. The type of cement used in either or both cases that it is essential that it be some water-proof accomplish the purposes set forth, so as to enable the head ascompl'eted to be treated with water for shampooing or otherwise without danger of destruction or.

damage. For this purpose some of the cellulose nitrate or cellulose ester base cements now commercially available may be employed, these cements usually including one or more organic solvents which, upon evaporation, leave a body of the cement which is essentially water-proof.

I have found that a wig constructed in accordance with the present invention may be washed or shampooed to the same extent that this treatment may be applied to the head of a living person; that the hair may be combed in the ordinary manner without danger of the teeth of the comb catching in the backing material or into any knots by which it has been customary, at least in some instances, to hold the hair to the backing material; and that the hair may be treated by waving, and by hot or cold permanent waving processes in substantially the same way as the hair of a living person Without essential danger to the construction. I have also found that the hair may be bleached or dyed in whole or in part in a way similar to that of the hair of a living person. Thus the model or doll heads having wigs constructed in accordance with this invention may be used not only for display purposes as hereinabove suggested, but also, in some instances, may be used as practice models for persons learning the art of hair dressing, without danger that the mistakes of such beginners will involve them in law suits or other claims for damages.

While I have shown and described herein but one principal embodiment of the inventionfrom a method and article point of view, I donot wish to be limited except by the claims, which are to be broadly as the state of the prior art permits.

What I claim is:

1. The method of constructing a wig for a head model, comprising the steps of passing a plurality of hairs through each of a row of apertures in a stiff, mesh-like backing fabric, cutting off the hairs passing through the fabric on the reverse side thereof at a level adjacent thereto, flowing onto and around the cut ends of the hairs and into the meshes of the fabric through which they pass a water-proof cement, drying the ocment while all the hair secured thereto is retained in substantially parallel lines at an acute angle to the plane of the fabric, repeating the series of steps aforesaid to provide a predeterfabric having hair secured stantially to the conforming of the individual is not critical except .1

tively are dyed different passed through and cemented in alternate rows only of the apertures of said fabric.

3."The method of claim 1, are indiv'idually cemented to the head of the model With a water-proof cement.

4. The method of constructing a wig for a head model, comprising the steps of passing a plurality of hairs through each of a row of apertures in a stiff, mesh-like, backing fabric, cuttin off the hairs passing through the fabric on the reverse side thereof at a, level adjacent thereto, flowing onto and around the cut ends of the hairs and into the meshes of the fabric through which they pass a water-proof cement, drying the cement While the hair secured thereby is retained in substantially parallel lines at an acute angle to the plane of the fabric, repeating the above series of steps to provide a predetermined area of fabric having hair secured thereto, all of which flows in a single direction in respect to the fabric, cutting the portion of the fabric to which hair is attached as aforesaid into pieces of selected sizes and shapes, separately preparing several series of such pieces having hair of a different characteristic respectively for each of said series, and adhesively securing such pieces to the head of a model to form a Wig in such manner that the direction of flow of the hair from the several portions of the wig W111 simulate the Way hair grows and flows on a living person and so that the stiffness of the fabric will not interfere substantially with the conforming of the individual pieces to the curvature of the head to which they are attached, and employing the pieces from the several series on different selected areas of the head to give predetermined characteristic effects inherent from the different characteristics of the different series of said pieces.

5. The method in accordance with claim 4, wherein the pieces of said different series respeccolors so as to get selected artistic effects for models used by hairdressers for demonstration purposes.

6. A wig construction for a head model, comprising a plurality of backing pieces to each of which hair is attached in such manner that the hair flows in a single predetermined direction in respect to the surface of each piece, said direction bein at an acute angle to the plane of the surface thereof, said pieces being individually adhesively secured throughout their respective areas to the doll head in such manner that the angular directions of flow of the hair of the assembled pieces simulate that of the hair on a livin person.

7. A wig construction for a head model in accordance with claim 6, wherein each of said pieces is of such small size that its initial plane surface thereof will substantially conform to the curvatures of the portion of the head to which it is secured.

8. A wig construction for a head model in accordance with claim 6, wherein each of said pieces is of such small size thatits initial plane surface will substantially conform to the curvatures of that portion of th head to which it is attached, and wherein each of said pieces is independently secured to the head by a, water-proof cement.

9. A Wig construction for a head model in accordance with claim 6, wherein a plurality of groups of hairs are secured to each of said backing pieces solely by waterproof cementitious adthe headfto which they;

wherein said pieces hesive material-enveloping the ends of said groups of hairs and said backing pieces.

10. A wig construction for a head model of vitreous ceramic construction having the scalp portion to which hair is to be attached and which is circumscribed by the scalp line undercut by a thickness substantially equalto that of backing pieces to which'hair is attached, saidvscalp portlon being roughened and porous for adhesive attachment thereto of such backing pieces, each of said pieces comprising. a backing member of stifi mesh-like. fabric having a plurality of strands of hair passing through each of the mesh openings of alternate row and secured to said fabric by a water-proof cement with the hair all flowing in a single acute angular direction in respect to the surface of each of said pieces, said pieces being so small that their plane surfaces will substantially conform respectfully to the curvature of the head and being placed on the head in an arrangement such that the hair flow from the various portions thereof simulates the direction of hair flow on a living person, each of said pieces bein individually adhesively attached to said head by a water-proof cement.

V HILAIRE J. LAMOUREUX. 

